PGA has 'every intention' of Valhalla return

Phil Mickelson tips his hat to the crowd during Saturday’s third round of the PGA Championship at Valhalla.
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Trumpeting the third PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club as a major success, the PGA of America intends to return to the course it owns with some of its marquee events in the future.

With record ticket sales and attendance during the 96th PGA Championship, the Jack Nicklaus-designed venue and the city of Louisville have proven be to major-league hosts for the PGA, the Senior PGA and the Ryder Cup, in the eyes of Peter Bevacqua, the organization's CEO.

"We have every intention to come back here with our championships," said Bevacqua, in his second at the helm of the PGA. "I would say it's as close to a certainty as there is. I almost can't imagine a scenario where we wouldn't bring something back."

"There is no question that we'll be back here again with the Senior PGA, another PGA Championship and in all likelihood down the road, another Ryder Cup," said Ted Bishop, president of the PGA of America.

The PGA Championship, which rotates to different sites around the country, is already set through 2020, and will be staged at Trump National Golf Club in New Jersey in 2022. That means the first available slot for a return to Valhalla would be in 2021.

The Ryder Cup, a biennial team event pitting the United States against Europe's best, rotates between American and European sites. That event will be held at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Minnesota in 2016, at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin in 2020, and at Bethpage Black in New York in 2024.

The Senior PGA, conducted at Valhalla in 2004 and 2011, will be hosted by the new Pete Dye Course at the French Lick Resort in Indiana in 2015, and future sites are already scheduled through 2018.

"This is a PGA of America site and it's a great major championship venue," Bevacqua said. "With the overall size of the venue, there's plenty of room to conduct a major championship — not just for the golf, which is obviously the most critical component, but for everything else that goes into it. We obviously love the golf course. We feel like we're at home.

"It starts with the golf course, it begins and ends with the golf course. But you need everything else. You need the space to bring in 40,000 people per day, your need the space for merchandise, for grandstands."

Valhalla is one of only seven sites to host three or more PGA Championships. Southern Hills holds that record with four, the latest in 2007. Four of the venues that will host the PGA over the next eight years have never held a major. Louisville already has that experience.

"It's the reception we've received from the city of Louisville, the people from around the area and from the people from around the country that have come here this week," Bevacqua said. "We've set record in tickets sales and the crowds have been terrific. We are very happy with the way things are going.

"You also need a city that gets it, and wants it. We've got that with the city of Louisville. The overall major championship extends well beyond the gates. All of that has been terrific, and that factors into it. Louisville rolls out the red carpet to help us achieve success."

What about other golf tournaments, such as a U.S. Open, the U.S. Women's Open or regular stop on the PGA Tour? Those are governed by different sanctioning bodies. The United States Golf Association rules the Open, while the PGA Tour has its own commissioner and board.

The PGA of America, and the membership of Valhalla, would have to fall in line with adding to the calendar.

"I would never say never," Bevacqua said. "We just love the site so much ourselves. We would love to have events here. In our mind it's a great home for the PGA of America."

Bishop believes an announcement should come sooner than later.

"It's important to the membership at Valhalla," Bishop said. "I think it's important to the relationship we have with Louisville and the Commonwealth of Kentucky and we make a decision on this — some kind of announcement that lets everybody know what is going to happen."

Henrik Stenson watches his shot from the bunker on the par three 8th hole. Stenson saved par on the hole to remain one stroke off the lead in the PGA Championship Sunday.
Neil Budde, The Courier-Journal

Kenny Perry last round at Valhalla was his farewell tour to the PGA. A fan favorite the crowd cheered for him along the way with occasional shouts of happy birthday. Aug. 10, 2014
Scott Utterback/The C-J

Kenny Perry watches his ball as he tees off on the fifth hole on Sunday during the fourth round of the PGA Championship at Vahalla Golf Club. (By David Lee Hartlage, Special to the C-J) Aug. 10, 2014.
David Lee Hartlage David Lee Hartlage, Special to t

Fans hold their umbrelleas and watch Kenny Perry on the fourth hole Sunday on the fourth round of the PGA Championship at Vahalla Golf Club. (By David Lee Hartlage, Special to the C-J) Aug. 10, 2014.
David Lee Hartlage David Lee Hartlage, Special to t